Through the years

34.

"Are you out of your damn mind!?" 

It had been such a happy and relaxing day, never would have Stiles expected to be catching a dagger thrown his way, stopping the weapon only an inch from his face, knuckles turning white from the tight grip he was exerting on the dagger's handle. 

"I expected Derek would be the one to catch it." Talia said as she approached the couple with a small smile on her face. "I didn't think you would be gifted with such sharp reflexes." 

"What the hell was that for?" the brunette grumbled as he pulled the dagger away from his face to glare at the proud woman now standing in front of them. 

He had been pretty busy flirting with his mate and he wasn't sure how he had even caught the weapon coming at him. However, he was glad he had. He knew Derek had been ready to catch it, he had noticed his hand shooting out but it was a second later than Stiles. A second which would have been too late, resulting in Stiles lying dead in the forest's grounds. 

"Weapons training starts now." Talia stated with pride and Derek was the first one to snap out of his stupor. 

"Weapons?" he asked with an arched brow. "Since when do we use weapons?"

"Not we.." she corrected before pointing the tip of a second dagger in Stiles' direction. "..him."

"Why? I haven't been training to throw all of you on your asses to end up using weapons instead."

"Stiles, dear, using weapons doesn't mean you're weaker. I'm teaching you all these different skills so that, if it ever comes to it, you can defend yourself to the fullest of your capabilities. What if someday you find yourself in a situation where you need to use a weapon but you don't know how to use it? You could lose your life just like that, simply because you didn't learn."

"...fine." Stiles caved in, as if he had even a choice in the first place and Derek left a kiss on his cheek before going to sit on the sidelines to watch him train with Peter. 

"Alright," Talia clapped in her hands after taking off her jacket and throwing it on the side. The woman played around with the daggers in her hands and eyed Stiles' stance. "lift your left hand a bit higher." she instructed, watching the brunette execute it before raising her hand and, in a swift and precise movement, the dagger was thrown. 

"Argh!" echoed Stiles' voice throughout the woods. 

It had been by an inch that Stiles managed to avoid the weapon. However, the sharp blade had still somehow been close enough to cut through his shirt and scratch at his skin. Stiles hand cradled his wound with a hissing sound, a frown on his face as he looked at the blood on his hand. 

"Mom!" Derek exclaimed in disbelief. However, the young wolf was quickly silenced by Peter who tugged his shirt, pulling back down on his ass. 

"Are you alright, dear?" Talia asked and Stiles nodded back at her. "Accidents and injuries are all part of the training process, Stiles. Don't be afraid to get hurt. That's how you learn from your mistakes and get better." she told him, watching as a determined look came upon the brunette's features before taking back his stance. 

"Again." 

"Stiles.." Derek said but it was as if the human couldn't hear him. The wolf didn't like what was happening right now. Why would Stiles need to voluntarily get hurt like that. He could learn skills without hurting himself like that. 

"Alright." Talia smirked, reaching behind her back and to the waistband of her sportswear before swiftly taking another dagger and throwing it Stiles' way.